Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-12-15
A MATCH FOR JAY GOULD.
How Jimmie Got the Best of the
Farmer, the Grocer and the Boys.

Farmer, the Grocer and the Boys.
The Hon. Tom Pittman told an inter
esting story in one of his recent temper
ance speeches.
Jimmie was always prowling around
to find something and very little escaped
him." he said. 'One night as five of his
companions were sitting in a row on
the old stone fence. Jimmie said, in a
whispered voice: 'Boys, l know where
there is a watermelon patch, and I
think We can collar just about twelve
of 'em'"
"BullyF' they exclaimed in a chorus
eyes" continued Jimmie, GIVE will
have just two melons a piece. Meet me
here tonight at 7:30 O'Clock, I'll take
you TO the patch, We'll collar the water
melons, and then hide them until the
excitement over"
"All right, Jimmie,,' the boys replied,
and scattered to their respective homes.
At 7:30 they met at the rendezvous
and Jimmie took them mile down the
road through a corn field, on the outer
edge of which they came to a water
melon patch, and it was such patch
that it made their mouths water. Jim
mie plugged twelve of the finest melons
in the patch and directed each Of the
boys to take two of them and follow
him. They did so and he led to lone
ly part of the corn field nearer the road
where they buried the melons.
"Now,' said Jimmie, let's all go
home and keep mum, for these melons
will soon be missed by the old farmer,
and he'll kick up row; but, as he find
no trace of them, the thing'n die out.
and by that time the melons will be as
cold as though they'd been kept on ice,
and then we'll eat 'em. But keep dark
and nobody'll know that we have been
in The watermelon business
$50 they all went home. But Jimmie
went that night to the farmer and asked
him what he thought of his watermelon
patch, and the old farmer told him that
they were getting along splendidly.-
Jimmie then asked him if he had a dog
down there watching the watermelons.
The old farmer said he hadn't. Jimmie
said he ought to have dog, as there
we're good many boys who liked water
melons. The farmer said he didn't
think they'd take his melons. Then jim
mie told him that they had already
taken twelve and that in the morning he
would tell the farmer who the boys
were. Jimmie then went down to the
village and asked the groceryman if he
had any watermelons yet. The grocery
man told him he had not. Jimmie ask
ed him what he'd give for twelve big
ones. Thegroceryman told him if there
were good big ones and all ripe he would
give s. for them.
"'All right, said Jimmie, hitch up and
come with me and I'll deliver the mel
ons"
"The groceryman hitched up and Jim
mie directed him where to drive, and
then he jumped over the fence into the
cornfeld and told the groceryman to
wait and he would bring the melons,
which it did not take him long TO do
Jimmie took the money and ran home,
and the grocaryman drove back well sat
isfied with the bargain.
Next morning bright and early jim
mie went to the farmer and asked if he
had been down to the watermelon patch.
The farmer said that he had and had
missed exactly twelve Of the fruit, and
he told Jimmie that he would now give
him $40 to tell who took the melons,
Jimmie said he wouldn't give the boys
away, but if the farmer would give him
$50 he'd tell him who bought the mel
ons. The farmer gave Jimmie the $40
and was told that the village grocery
man had the stolen fruit. Jimmie then
ran to the village and rushed in the
store all out of breath, and handed the
groceryman So and exclaimed: